Brooklyn first selectman drafting finance director job description

Brooklyn First Selectman Rick Ives is drafting a job description for a full-time finance director.

Approved in the budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year, the position has been in limbo until now.

“I think it’s time for us to do what we’ve talked about for a long, long time,” Ives said.

Residents approved the position, a full-time finance director who would serve both the town and school district. The Board of Education has never given it a vote. The position was funded for nine months in the current fiscal year and has the support of the Board of Finance and Board of Selectman.

Ives said neither school board nor Superintendent Louise Berry has committed to the position, but he intends to include Berry in the search and selection process. Ives said he also will ensure the person hired has the necessary certifications to work on the school district’s finances.

The idea of a joint finance person for both the town and schools surfaced more than a year ago, and a committee was formed in July and led by Gene Michael Deary. The Board of Finance believes $110,000 over the course of 12 months would be appropriate for the position. The cost includes a $75,000 salary, $25,000 in benefits and $10,000 for a pension contribution. The finance board only included funding for nine months of the position in the 2013-14 budget because members did not believe the position could be designed and filled by July 1.

Selectman Bob Kelleher said he does not believe there should be a full-time hire without commitment from the Board of Education.

“I’ll concede we need help,” Kelleher said. “But I still can’t support hiring a full-time finance director without the Board of Education on board.”

Deary, who is now chairman of the Board of Finance, said finances on both the town and school side are getting more complicated. With a $22 million budget, the town needs an expert, Deary said.

“There won’t be less compliance,” Deary said. “There will be more and more compliance going forward, and it becomes expensive if you are not on top of things.”

Deary said he hopes the school district will warm up to the idea of a joint finance director as the search progresses and the person is hired.

“No one on the Board of Selectman or the Board of Finance is trying to force anything on the Board of Education,” Deary said.